Reborn as the Last van Ambrose-Chapter 96: Stack of Letters

Gasps echoed through the hall.

"Lady Draykar and her children, while complicit through their silence if not their actions, are hereby banished from the Empire. They will be transported to the border of the Demon Lands and released. If they return to imperial territory at any time, they will face immediate execution."

Lady Draykar collapsed against her son, who struggled to support his mother while fighting back her own tears.

"Finally," the Empress said, "all lands, properties, and assets belonging to House Draykar are hereby forfeit to the crown."

Julius Luminaris leaned forward slightly, anticipating the standard redistribution of assets among multiple noble houses.

"In recognition of the assassination attempt against him, and in compensation for the harm House Draykar sought to inflict, all forfeited assets are granted to House Ambrose."

A shocked murmur ran through the assembly. Such a clear transfer of an entire house’s wealth to a single beneficiary was unprecedented.

Julius shot to his feet. "Your Majesty, with all due respect, such a distribution upsets the balance of—"

"The balance was upset when House Draykar committed treason, Lord Luminaris," the Empress cut him off. "House Ambrose was directly targeted. It is fitting that they receive compensation."

Grim met Julius’s furious gaze calmly. "I thank Your Majesty for this just resolution," he said, bowing deeply to the Empress. "House Ambrose will use these resources to strengthen the Empire, as we have always done."

Julius looked as though he might object further, but Mira placed a restraining hand on her father’s arm, whispering something that caused him to slowly retake his seat.

The Empress rose. "This court is adjourned. Lord Draykar will be returned to his cell to await execution. The rest of his family will be escorted to the border immediately."

As imperial guards moved to take the Draykars away, Lord Draykar suddenly lunged across the table toward Grim, his face contorted with rage. "This is your doing! You planted those documents! You—"

The guards restrained him before he could finish, dragging him bodily from the hall as he continued to shout accusations. His family followed, Lady Draykar openly weeping now, their children ashen-faced with shock.

The assembly began to disperse, nobles and officials breaking into small groups to discuss the dramatic proceedings. Grim remained seated, exchanging a brief glance with Chen Xing, who gave an almost imperceptible nod of satisfaction.

Chen Xing approached, keeping his voice low. "A complete victory. House Draykar falls, and their wealth transfers to us. Julius must be seething."

"This is only the beginning," Grim reminded him. "Julius won’t accept this defeat quietly. He’ll retaliate."

"Let him try," Chen Xing said confidently. "We have the Empress’s favor, Orvannis’s alliance, and now Draykar’s resources. House Luminaris is weakened."

As they left the, Grim felt the weight of many eyes upon him—some admiring, others fearful, others calculating. In a single day, the balance of power in the capital had shifted dramatically. House Ambrose, a disgraced house, now revived.

------------------------------------------------------------------

It was nightfall. Grim had already returned to his manor. The day’s events had left him drained, his body still recovering from the tournament match against Max. He sat in his study, watching the dance of flames in the fireplace as Sera poured him a cup of tea.

"A productive day, my lord?" she asked, her tone casual but her eyes keen.

"Very," Grim replied, taking the cup. "House Ambrose now possesses all of House Draykar’s assets. Our financial concerns are...resolved."

"Then perhaps we should consider expanding our household staff," Sera suggested. "The current number is hardly befitting a house of your renewed stature."

Grim nodded thoughtfully. "Find suitable candidates. Young people willing to work for fair wages. We’ll need more servants, and guards as well."

"And what qualities should I look for in these new additions?"

"Loyalty, first and foremost," Grim said. "Beyond that, Chen Xing will evaluate any potential guards to ensure they’re actually useful. Once we have their information, I’ll have Lady Mei investigate their backgrounds."

Sera nodded, committing his instructions to memory. "It will be done, my lord."

The sound of celebration drifted through the open window—citizens in the streets toasting the fall of a traitor house. Grim’s victory in the tournament semifinals had already made him a subject of public fascination; now, with the acquisition of House Draykar’s considerable assets, he had become the capital’s most talked-about noble overnight.

Chen Xing stood nearby, reviewing a list of properties that now belonged to House Ambrose. "The Draykar estate alone is worth a fortune," he remarked. "Not to mention their holdings in the southern provinces and their fleet of merchant ships."

Grim turned to Chen Xing, who stood by the window. "I want you to pay a visit to Lord Terras tomorrow."

Chen Xing raised an eyebrow. "Terras? The one who owes you a debt."

"The same. He lost a bet against ne twice when i was five, in sure you were there so dont be coy. With interest, he owes House Ambrose thirty thousand imperial crowns." Grim smiled thinly. "Don’t accept anything less than 10,000."

"You believe he’ll pay?" Chen Xing asked.

"He’ll pay," Grim said with certainty. "Especially after today’s demonstration of imperial favor."

While they spoke, Sera had quietly slipped from the room. She returned moments later, her arms laden with an enormous stack of sealed letters.

"These arrived throughout the night, my lord," she said, carefully placing the pile—at least a hundred envelopes—on Grim’s desk. "Most were delivered by personal couriers. Several messengers are still waiting for responses."

Grim stared at the mountain of correspondence with mild surprise. He reached for the topmost letter, breaking its ornate seal and scanning its contents. A slight smile played at his lips.

"What are they about?" Sera asked, curiosity getting the better of her usual reserve.

Grim held up the letter he’d just opened. "Marriage proposals. It seems House Ambrose has suddenly become a desirable alliance."

Sera’s eyes widened slightly. "All of them?"

"I suspect most of them," Grim replied, setting the letter aside and picking up another. "Nothing motivates the nobility like wealth and power."

"And do any of these proposals interest you, my lord?" Sera asked, her tone carefully neutral.

Grim glanced up at her, then at Chen Xing, who watched the exchange with poorly concealed amusement.

"That remains to be seen," Grim said simply. "For now, we focus on consolidating our position. Marriage is not something I’ve considered."